Author: Yorke Prough

To continue ongoing maintenance and renovation at Columbus Community School District, the board will ask voters on March 5^th to continue the $0.67 physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL). The funds have allowed the district to update softball and baseball lighting, basketball shot clocks, track resurfacing, the football scoreboard, musical instruments, roof repairs, and much more. This levy will not increase your PPEL property tax rates, but will keep it the same.

The vote will take place on Tuesday, March 5^th. The polls will be open from 7:00am through 8:00pm.

Today, Representative Heather Hora (R-Washington) announced her re-election bid for Iowa House District 92.

“I have enjoyed my first term in the Statehouse,” said Hora. “I am proud of the work I have been part of during my time here. It is an honor to get to represent House District 92 and the State as a whole. Getting to work on legislation my constituents care most about has been very fulfilling. I look forward to continuing this work in the Iowa House.”

Hora is co-owner and vice President of HK Farms inc., a family farming corporation specializing in corn, soybeans, and hogs. In the House, Hora currently serves on the Agriculture, Education, Natural Resources, and Veterans Affairs committees. As well as the Vice Chair on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee.

Speaker of the Iowa House Pat Grassley (R-New Hartford) said he enjoys working with Representative Hora in the Iowa House.

“Representative Hora is a committed member of the Iowa legislature.” Said Grassley. “She is a strong member to have in the House and represents her district very well. I look forward to continuing to work with her to move Iowa forward.”

Hora is seeking her second term in the Iowa House. She lives in Washington with her husband Kurt and three children Presley, Elizabeth, and John. Iowa House District 92 includes all of Washington County and most of southern Johnson County.

The Louisa County Sheriff’s Office, EMA, County Roads and Iowa Department of Natural Resources have been dealing with the dumping of large amounts of specific small bags of trash for nearly two years.

Recently it has been found on State Street in Wapello and on K Avenue, in the past it had been dumped on the 5 mile lane. (it has been looked through for identifiers and nothing has been located, typically filled up with feminine products and cat litter).

If anyone has information on person(s) doing this, please contact our office. We believe they live in the northeast section of Wapello.

A Keokuk man was arrested on felony and misdemeanor drug charges following a traffic stop. The Keokuk Police Department conducted a stop in the 1400 block of Bank St. where the driver then fled on foot. Shortly after, he was apprehended and identified as Rick Keegan Tinder. He was found to be in possession of controlled substances as well as a firearm at the time of his arrest.

Rick Keegan Tinder, age 29, of Keokuk is charged with: Possession of more than 5 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver while in possession of a firearm, a class B felony, Iowa drug tax stamp violation, a class D felony, and Possession of a controlled substance, a serious misdemeanor.

The Keokuk Police Department assisted in this investigation utilizing grant funding from the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau to conduct a joint law enforcement saturation project along with the Lee County Narcotics Task Force. Also assisting the investigation is the Lee County Attorney’s Office.

The defendant in this case is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The Lee County Narcotics Task Force is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Justice and the funds administered by the Iowa Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy.

Governor Kim Reynolds issued the following statement on the death of Bill Northey who served as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture from 2007 to 2018, and as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2018 to 2021:

“Bill was a great leader whose work ethic and passion for Iowa agriculture was unmatched. Iowans and farmers around the country were fortunate to have such a rock-solid advocate and friend,” said Gov. Kim Reynolds. “Bill understood well our responsibility to be good stewards of the land and exemplified that calling throughout his career. But his life’s greatest role was as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Bill will be missed. Kevin and I offer our deepest condolences and prayers to Cindy and their family.”

Gov. Reynolds has ordered all flags in Iowa to be lowered to half-staff immediately and remain at half-staff until sunset on the day of Northey’s funeral and internment.

Flags will be flown at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex. Flags will also be at half-staff on all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state.

Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

Free Help With Your FAFSA!

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Mount Pleasant High School

Tuesday February 27, 2024

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

High School Media Center

Students Bring your Laptop!

Parent and Student need to attend.

What to bring:

1) SSN’s for both student and both parents if married or remarried with names as shown on social security cards

2) dates of birth

3) emails addresses (both student and parents) that they can access on their cellphones (make sure to bring cellphones)

4) 2023 taxes (1040)

5) student should bring their driver’s license (if they have one).

Students and Parents MUST have a FSA ID before they can complete the FAFSA application.

Create FSA ID https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch

If you have questions please contact our school counselor Mrs. Sasha Steele – sasha.steele@mtpcsd.org

On February 3^rd, 2024, at approximately 10:54 p.m., Henry County Dispatch received a driving complaint of a dark colored passenger vehicle swerving all over the road on Highway 218, headed towards Mount Pleasant.  At approximately 10:59 p.m., the Henry County Sheriff’s Office intercepted the vehicle near mile marker forty-three on Highway 218 and performed a traffic stop. The traffic stop identified the driver as, Nelson Flores, 22, of Washington, Iowa.

Mr. Flores was arrested and charged with Use of an Electronic Communications Device, Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability, Open Container, and Reckless Driving. An Operating While Intoxicated investigation is still pending.